The Charge

Opening Statement

Considered to be one the best Sherlock Holmes films ever made, Murder By
Decree finally makes its appearance on DVD. It may not be the feature laden
extravaganza all its fans have wished for, but it does boast a nice transfer and
an informative commentary from director Bob Clark.

Facts of the Case

A vicious killer is slicing up the prostitutes of London's Whitechapel area,
but as is often the case, there is more going on than meets the eye. So who
better than the world's most famous consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes
(Christopher Plummer, The Insider) and his comrade-in-arms Dr. John
Watson (James Mason, Lolita) to investigate the case? Becoming involved
in a most personal fashion, Holmes soon finds there are powerful forces at work
in Whitechapel, hidden forces that seek to hide the truth from the light and
forces that would just as soon see Holmes disappear from the scene.
Permanently.

The Evidence

Director Bob Clark has certainly had a varied career. The man behind
Porky's, Black Christmas, and A Christmas Story may seem
like an unlikely candidate to bring to life the world of Arthur Conan Doyle's
classic character, but with 1979's Murder By Decree, that is exactly what
he did. Taking some popular theories of the time as they related to who Jack the
Ripper was and why he was able to get way with the horrors he committed, Clark
and writer John Hopkins (The Offence) tell a tale of two Londons, one of
the rich and privileged and one of the poor and the forgotten masses. Weaving
historical figures and events seamlessly with their fictional characters, Clark
and Hopkins speak to the horrors and class struggles of the period. It's to
their credit that it is difficult to tell when the movie is playing with fact or
tossing out well dressed fiction.

Behind the camera, Clark shows an excellent sense of pace and structure. The
atmosphere is laid on thick, but it never overpowers the story, instead giving
it weight and breadth. Add into the mix the excellent work of production
designer Harry Pottle and cinematographer Reginald Morris, and we can believe we
are looking at the London of the 1880s.

Originally intended as a vehicle for Peter O'Toole and Laurence Olivier, the
two were unable to overcome their intense dislike for one another and Clark had
to "settle" for Christopher Plummer and James Mason in the leading
roles. While other actors may have borne a stronger resemblance to Doyle's
classic detective, few have captured the Sherlock Holmes of the written page
better than Christopher Plummer. I'd go as far to say that only Jeremy Brett's
portrayal as Holmes stands above Plummer's. As for Mason, well, for me no one
has played a better John Watson than James Mason.

Both Plummer and Mason choose the road least traveled when creating their
characters. For Plummer's part, he brings a rare humanist warmth to Holmes.
Certainly it's easy to see the gears hard at work inside of Holmes' head, but
Plummer allows us to also see a man enraged by the crimes that are being
committed and moving with a steely determination to punish the guilty parties.
His Holmes is graceful, yet manly. Brilliant, but not sterile and detached. Too
often actors take a superior tone when playing Holmes, to the point where it's
almost a time honored tradition to be smug and self satisfied. This approach
allows the viewer to hold Holmes' intellect in awe while leaving the man as an
afterthought. The fact that Holmes is a genius is of equal importance to the
fact that he is still just a man. It's an approach that works and makes the
viewer an equal partner in the proceedings. I'm sure some purists would complain
of Plummer's choices, but for me if you look below the surface of Doyle's
writing, you can find the inspiration for Plummer's version of Holmes.

To look at James Mason is to see Dr. John Watson personified. Unwilling to
play the doltish sidekick, in Mason's hand Watson is the equal partner. If
Plummer tempers Holmes' genius with a healthy dose of humanity, then Mason
balances his comrade's intellect with humility and humor. Mason's Watson has the
wonderful ability to look at Holmes' brilliance with amusement and wonder
instead of confusion and bluster. It's a not a small distinction and one that
elevates Holmes' abilities without denigrating Watson's skills.

Together, the pair make quite the team. It's easy to know who was originally
thought of for the roles and wonder what might have been, but what the film
ended up with is quite remarkable. Plummer and Mason play off each other
beautifully, and there is a simple elegance to their work together. It's so nice
to just sit back and watch two actors play off on another with the give and take
of seasoned professionals. Watching these men work their way from matters of the
gravest importance to the silliest bits of business involving a pea is to know
you are watching two masters at work. There is great humor between the two
actors as well as respect, affection, and love.

I suppose it should be noted that similar themes and plot lines were
examined in a 1965 film called A Study in Terror, but with Murder By
Decree, director Clark surrounds his central players with a supporting cast
full of star power and vastly superior production values. Since this was an
English/Canadian co-production, the cast had to be 50/50 from each country, thus
with the leads you had Canadians Plummer, Susan Clark (Night Moves) in
the pivotal role of Mary Kelly, Genevieve Bujold (Star Trek: Voyager) as
Annie Crook, and Donald Sutherland (Panic) as psychic Robert Lees. On the
British side, you had Mason, David Hemmings (Spy Game) as Inspector
Foxborough, Anthony Quayle (Masada) as Sir Charles Warren, John Gielgud
(Becket) as Prime Minister Salisbury, and in the same role he played in
A Study in Terror, Frank Finlay (The Three Musketeers) as
Inspector Lestrade. All have their moments and all contribute mightily to the
proceedings.

I probably sound like a broken record, but once more Anchor Bay has done
everyone a favor and rescued a beloved cult movie from film purgatory.

One of the biggest nightmares when working on a film of this kind is
excessive fog, and there is lots of fog throughout Murder By Decree.
Well, hats off to the firm that handled this transfer because there is hardly a
compression artifact to be found. The picture is remarkably solid on all counts,
with the barest hint of edge enhancement visible. Plaids remain firm, flesh
tones appear natural, and the colors are true. Blacks remain consistent, with
shadow detail being a strength. It almost goes without saying that the 1.85:1
aspect ratio of the film is given anamorphic enhancement, but there you have it,
there it is.

Sound is not quite so happy a tale. It's of the 1.0 Mono variety, and it is
pretty limited. Dialogue is clearly heard but sounds thin, while Carl Zittrer
and Paul Zaza's weak score is not heard to good effect. The mix is quite closed
off with little room to breathe, while there is more audible background
distortion than I'm used to. It all adds up to a listening experience that is
rather rough. It's certainly not one of Anchor Bay's better efforts.

On the extras front, the center attraction is a scene specific commentary by
director Bob Clark. Clark seems a pleasant fellow and he is not afraid to go
into detail with how this film was made. He does confirm the O'Toole and Olivier
factor and then goes on to explain how he sold Mason on the project. He is
justifiably proud of his work all these years later, but he never comes off as
cocky or arrogant. Be aware there are gaps in his commentary, but they are well
timed and never go on for so long that I lost interest. In addition to the
commentary, there is also a couple of still galleries that show
behind-the-scenes activities, some fairly extensive talent bios, a trailer for
the film in anamorphic widescreen, and a DVD-ROM feature that allows access to
the film's complete script. All you need is a computer with a DVD-ROM drive and
Adobe Acrobat Reader, and you are good to go.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

For those going in looking for a Jack the Ripper tale featuring plenty of
blood and guts a la From Hell, don't look here. The blood and terror is
hinted at but never really shown. I find this restraint admirable. Also, for
purebred fans of Sherlock Holmes who hold fast to one style of interpretation
may be quite put out by Christopher Plummer's most human detective. Go in with
an open mind, and I think you will find the same joys I did.

Otherwise, I have few reservations about either the film or the disc. As
noted, the sound is less than ideal, but given Anchor Bay's track record one has
to wonder if the problems lie with the source materials and not Anchor Bay's
production team.

Closing Statement

Murder By Decree is an excellent addition to both the lore of Sherlock
Holmes and Jack the Ripper. It's entertaining, warm, and creepy. That, and its
always fun to watch so many wonderful actors do their thing in high style.

Anchor Bay offers up a solid presentation of the movie at a price commonly
found for under $16.00. I found it a solid purchase, and like-minded fans will
probably feel the same.

The Verdict

The jury has spoken and Murder By Decree is acquitted of all charges.
Time may have disproved the theories at the center of its story, but that hasn't
dulled its power.